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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26838094">Wisteria and Woe</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvirtue/pseuds/vvirtue'>vvirtue</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kalcite's Fictober 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Overwatch (Video Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Blood and Injury, Gen, Nightmares</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:28:41</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26838094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/vvirtue/pseuds/vvirtue</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hanzo has an unrestful night's sleep.</p>
<p>(Fictober prompt day 1: "No, come back!")</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Genji Shimada &amp; Hanzo Shimada</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kalcite's Fictober 2020 [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1957660</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Wisteria and Woe</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Hanzo had gotten used to a life on the move, being able to just settle down anywhere he wanted. He’d enjoyed being able to walk outside of the city borders and sleep in a space where the only sounds were the critters and creatures that called the wilds their home. If he had wanted to be undisturbed, he’d easily just go further into the untamed lands beyond the city borders and there’d be nobody to bother him for at least a couple of miles.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was different at the watchpoint, where there was never a moment of silence. From the constant clank and whir of the machinery to the boisterous personalities that bounced from one room to the next, to even Athena’s polite inquiries as to his well being. Even within his new room in the barracks, bare and barren, wasn’t free of the noise and he knew that if she had reason enough, Athena could intrude on his semblance of privacy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He couldn’t even complain quietly under his breath. The AI would likely still be able to hear him and do something drastic like </span>
  <em>
    <span>apologise </span>
  </em>
  <span>to him. Hanzo barely suppressed a shudder at the thought.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’d resigned himself to sleeping with earplugs in, something that the doctor on site had happily provided him. Before he could truly settle down, he had to check how safe the room itself was and fell into the ritual that had become familiar over the past couple of days.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The door, metal and latched with an actual </span>
  <em>
    <span>physical</span>
  </em>
  <span> lock and not just the electronic pads that had become common in that age. Windows, no actual way of opening them and made with what sounded like reinforced glass when he dragged the tip of his knife against its surface. No entry points beyond the narrow vent that not even that tiny British girl would be able to crawl through. Stormbow under the bed, just at arm’s length. Knife under the pillow in case arm’s length wasn’t close enough.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Satisfied that he was at least somewhat safe, Hanzo slid into his bunk. It was by no means a luxury mattress, but it was certainly an improvement on his bedroll. That was one positive point towards the watchpoint. Earplugs in, he closed his eyes and allowed his breathing to even out. Over the years, he’d been glad of how easily he fell asleep. Tonight was no exception.</span>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Wisteria hung in thick, scented ropes around him and seemed to replace the calming blue of the sky above. He found himself rooted to the spot, left to stare out into the endless tresses of the purple flowers. They were undeniably beautiful and Hanzo lifted a hand to run his fingers over their delicate petals.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Big brother! Come find me!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He spun on his heel, the peaceful spell broken, and spotted a flash of green amongst the wisteria. He took a hesitant step forward, flinching when he heard a giggle from further within the woods.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He had not heard that laugh in over two decades.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He took another step and then he was running. Now and again, he would see another flicker of his younger brother’s yukata as he ran ahead with reckless abandon. He would catch up eventually. He was older and taller, his legs were longer, Genji could not outrun him for long. Yet no matter how fast he pushed himself, the boy evaded him.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“Genji! Slow down!” he called out, voice straining as he tried to keep his breathing steady. Another giggle came from the boy, though this time Hanzo could not pinpoint which direction it came from. It sounded as though it echoed around him. Biting back a growl, he kept running until at last, he found him.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Genji stood in a small clearing, back turned to him. He was wearing his favourite yukata, green and patterned with the pale pink patterns of cherry blossoms. He’d always insisted on wearing it to festivals, even as it grew too small for him. But it fit him fine now, Genji looking small and in a younger form that reminded Hanzo of bygone days.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“I found you,” Hanzo said, taking a moment to suck air into his lungs. The boy didn’t turn around, didn’t reply, didn’t even react. “Genji?” Unnerved, Hanzo walked towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder, spinning the boy around.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Blood trickled down the boy’s lips, turned up in a mockery of a smile. It poured down his chin, soaking into the green fabric and staining his chest crimson. Hanzo flinched back as if he’d been burned, only to see a red handprint upon the boy’s shoulder. Looking down, he saw that his hands were covered with </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>(dripping, there’s so much, how is there so much)</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> blood.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You did this to me,” Genji chorused, several versions of his voice overlapping. The lilting voice of his childhood self mixed with the deeper timbre he’d acquired as he’d grown older. Beneath it all was a synthetic rasping, the voice that had haunted him for weeks prior since his brother had found him at the Shimada Castle. It sounded </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>(wet, desperate, like it had when he’d begged for mercy, for his life)</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> familiar and yet not, an unholy mix of the old and new. Hanzo hated it. This wasn’t his brother. This wasn’t his Genji.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Frozen as he was, he couldn’t stop Genji from turning and fleeing. Again, the chase began although this time, he had a trail to follow in the spattered blood. This time, he caught up easily </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>(I always will, I was always the stronger sibling, the faster sibling, the sibling who got things done)</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> until at last, he was in arm’s reach.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Before his hand could touch the cotton yukata, the wisteria vines wrapped around his arms, his legs, his torso, his neck. Choking and cloying with how they wound their way around his throat and forced their floral scent into his nose. Rather than continuing to flee, Genji stopped and turned to look down at Hanzo.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He was older now </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>(still too young, I know this must be done, but he is still just a boy)</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> and his body was littered with cuts. His eyes were blank and without reproach. When he spoke, his voice was singular, flat and hollow.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“You did this to me.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>He turned away for the last time and walked away, seemingly satisfied that Hanzo could no longer hunt him down. Hanzo struggled against the wisteria, tears springing to his eyes as he realised he was trapped </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>(and Genji is going where I cannot follow, please, don’t leave me)</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>. Even as the air was siphoned out of his lungs, he tried to call out one last time.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“No… come back…!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>The wisteria tightened and he was dragged down, down, down into the darkness.</span>
  </em>
</p><hr/>
<p>
  <span>Hanzo awoke with a start, hands flying to his throat and chest as if the branches would still be found there. His breath came out shaky and rattled and he moved his hands so that his fingers could wind their way into his hair and pull. The pain helped, it grounded him, made him feel less like he would unravel at the strings and-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Agent Shimada,” the neutral voice of Athena rang out. “You seem to be distressed. Is everything alright?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Damned AI. “It is fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you certain? I can always contact your brother if you-”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It is fine!” Hanzo roared, teeth bared.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Athena did not reply.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He was alone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <b>
    <em>(Again. Just like he’d always be.)</em>
  </b>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay listen, I know it's the 5th but my internet JUST came back on so everything is late. I'll be posting fictobers intermittently so that I'm not just overwhelming tags with my fics!!</p>
<p>Also, some prompts will end up being multi-chapter, for example with prompt 10 being followed by prompts 13 &amp; 14. Because of this, I'll be putting the prompt and number in the summary of every fic/chapter!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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